http://www.rockforlife.org/rss.php RockForLife Blog RSS Feed en-us Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:20:27 PDT Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:20:27 PDT http://www.rockforlife.org info@rockforlife.org info@rockforlife.org http://www.rockforlife.org/blog.php?id=2661 2009-07-01 10:24:00 http://www.rockforlife.org/blog.php?id=2656 2009-06-29 14:49:00 http://www.rockforlife.org/blog.php?id=2653 2009-06-26 12:33:00 Take some time to get to know the team you will be seeing on the road in 2009. Jeff McLain, Tour Manager Age: 27 Home: Spotsylvania, VA Email: jeff@rockforlife.org Interests: Frisbee, disc golf, hosting concerts, road trips, beach, downtown life, coffee shops, history, Anabaptist theology Favorite bands: Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, U2, Cat Stevens, John Lennon, Michael Knott, Squad Five-O, The Violet Burning, Michael Pritzl Favorite web site: www.jeffmclain.com Why he is pro-life:  "I believe we need to consistently oppose killing, from abortion to assisted suicide, and for me personally, that includes the death penalty and war.  I believe everyone deserves the chance to live and make something of their life. After the worst days of my life, I know I am glad I am still alive to find a brighter day - and I believe that simple human right should be respected for everyone." Elisa Cooper, Second Rock for Life Tour Age: 20 Home: Northern Virginia Email: ejcooper@liberty.edu Interests: Making/studying/viewing art, traveling and experiencing new places like a local, all that is psychology, children and ministering to them, spontaneity, feeling small and weak in front of a mighty God and learning more about God Favorite bands: House of Heroes, Anberlin, Copeland, Mutemath, Sufjan Stevens, Relient K, Mae, David Crowder Band Favorite web site: www.theonion.com Why she is pro-life: Proverbs 31:8 NLT  – "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those who are perishing." Jake McDonnell, a.k.a. Wut the Metaphysical Age: 27 Home: Oakland, CA Email: wutmetaphysical@hotmail.com Interests: Reading, snowboarding, skateboarding, surfing, writing poetry Favorite bands: Haste the Day, LMNO, War, Frank Sinatra, Bob Marley, P.O.D., Tunnel Rats, Nodes of Ranvier Favorite web site: www.failblog.org Why he is pro-life: "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." *Make sure you check out Jake McDonnell’s rap project at www.myspace.com/wutmetaphysical. Keith Ashley, RFL Kansas (Director) Age: 28 Home: Wichita, KS Email: rflkansas@hotmail.com Interests: Pro-life apologetics, pro-life activism, feeding my ead, rock/metal/electronica, Kansas Jayhawk basketball, the great outdoors, conservative talk radio, watching Pixar movies with my boys Favorite bands: Vast, Deftones, Flaw, P.O.D., Red, Agents of Oblivion, Cold, Project 86 Favorite web site: www.JillStanek.com Why he is pro-life: "I cannot understand how anyone can reject the prevailing philosophical arguments, deny the theological certainty and ignore the overwhelming scientific evidence in favor of life. Human rights, including freedom, justice, and equality, are not reliant upon arbitrary differences such as gender, race, religion, nationality or AGE, but are instead based solely in our common HUMAN NATURE." Katie McLain, Long-time volunteer Age: 23 Home: Spotsylvania, VA Email: katienmclain@gmail.com Interests: Watching movies, reading, traveling, working with kids, taking walks Favorite bands: Haste the Day, Mewithoutyou, Coldplay, U2, Blessed By a Broken Heart, Derek Webb Favorite web site: www.revbilly.org RFL needs your help to cover the cost of gas to all the festivals. Please donate to help keep the life-saving summer tour on the road! Donate at the Rock for Life Cause Facebook Page by clicking "Donate." http://www.rockforlife.org/blog.php?id=2652 2009-06-26 07:06:00 By Kortney Blythe   For those of you who don’t know, RHRealityCheck.org is a radical pro-abortion web site mostly consisting of blogs/rants about abortion. They put out a weekly podcast, which mostly just attacks pro-lifers and spouts misinformation. Now that I’m able to keep up with the happenings in the pro-death camp, I half-enjoy, half-despise reading their articles. On the one hand, it keeps me abreast of what the extremists are saying, but on the other hand, it is infuriating when they lie AND when they tell the truth.  Case in point: Two articles recently posted on the web site accurately reported things said by people on both sides of the debate. Ironically, their honesty revealed an even darker side of the pro-death camp. The first article, written by user name “cpc_watcher,” discussed former Arkansas governor and presidential candidate Mike Huckabee’s appearance on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. The author of this blog called Huckabee “a seasoned expert” in arguing for the pro-life side and worried because she didn’t think Stewart was a worthy opponent. Interesting. Are you worried that someone unschooled in “choice” rhetoric will reveal your weak justification for child killing? After spouting a few ad hominem (personal) attacks against Huckabee, the author admits that Huckabee “invoked biology to make his point.” Here’s his quote:  I believe life begins at conception, when 23 chromosomes from a male and 23 from a female create a unique DNA schedule that has never existed before, has an imprint that is unlike any that has ever been… Biologically and scientifically, it is irrefutable that that’s when life begins. Now, some would argue is it human life? But what else can it be? It’s not a dolphin; it’s not a stalk of broccoli. I mean it has to be human life because of the cellular structure…” She finds this scientific response ironic because, in her mind, Huckabee is anti-medical science. How does she respond to his biological argument? “I was just short of yelling at my iPod, screaming at Stewart to refute his so-called ‘scientific facts’ right there on their air.” Now, make up your mind, cpc_watcher. Either he’s using scientific facts or he’s not. If not, then please correct him using logic, not emotions. Abortion advocates depend on emotional appeals, misinformation and personal jabs to make their case. While conceding that Huckabee made “some very powerful… arguments against abortion,” that ellipsis (…) in the quote is where the author claims these arguments are inaccurate. Her defense for this claim is that ACOG (the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) defines pregnancy as beginning only after implantation is complete, not at the actual biological beginning of a person, as Huckabee asserts. Unfortunately, she’s telling the truth. This fact is why doctors can legally deny that chemical birth control and emergency contraception can end the life of a child. In 1965, ACOG officially changed the definition of pregnancy, opening the door to a host of misinformation that, to this day, deceives well-meaning people into comfortably ingesting fatal chemicals. The writer makes a few other ridiculous statements, such as “that a zygote is a human life because it will not turn into anything is especially frustrating… [and] full of holes; should we be treating Huckabee like a corpse? Because given enough time and biological process, he’s not likely to turn into anything else.” WHAT?! No one is claiming that a HUMAN zygote should have his/her personhood recognized because s/he will turn into a human, but because s/he already IS! You may recall that many abortion supporters say that “no one likes abortion” and “everyone” wants to “reduce the number of abortions” because it’s an ugly procedure. Not so, says cpc_watcher. The only reason they really want to reduce abortion is because it’s “an expensive, no-fun medical procedure, something we should avoid not because the procedure is bad or wrong, but because prevention is, well, easier.” This leads me to the second article. This one was written by Heather Corinna, a sex education activist who has had an abortion and worked in an abortion mill. Refreshingly, but also frighteningly, she writes about the common things “pro-choice” people say to abortion opponents, in an attempt to find common ground, that just aren’t true. As an activist and pro-life educator, I’ve heard these statements countless times from defenders of abortion. Keep in mind the myth and the response are both coming from a pro-abortion blogger. This is not an extensive list.   Myth #1: No woman wants to have an abortion. Corinna: “Many women, if not most, who choose abortion want to have one.” She admits that many women feel pressure from those around them to make certain decisions regarding pregnancy. But, she proclaims, coerced abortions are “unacceptable.” Why, then, do abortion advocates fight, with voracious ferocity, laws that would regulate coercion?  Myth #2: No woman has an abortion casually. Corinna: “Some women DO have abortions in a way you or I might call or see as casual. For some women, having an abortion is not a big deal, is not upsetting, is not something she feels carries a lot of weight for her.” This myth is one I heard quite frequently while doing activism on college campuses. Student A would snidely say myth #2. Then, a few minutes later a female college student, Student B, would pass by and say something to the effect of, “I had an abortion and I don’t regret it at all. I’m glad I did it.” Obviously, this response contradicts what student A just said. So, at least Corinna is honest. What’s sad is that any woman would let her precious child be ripped limb from limb and feel ambiguous or nonchalant about it. Only the seared conscience of a nation could result in women not mourning for their dead children. Myth #3: If everyone had access to birth control and all the methods we had were 100% effective, all pregnancies would be wanted and we would have no abortions. Corinna: “Many women would still want and need abortion.” This myth is along the same lines of the “you should be giving out condoms if you really want to end abortion” mentality. Thank you, Corinna, for pointing out that no matter how much birth control is out there, selfish people will still demand a “backup plan" in case they change their mind about wanting a child. Our society has become so self-centered that the very life of a child is given or taken at will. Myth #4: Abortion is a bloody, ugly, brutal, painful procedure. Corinna: “Any surgical procedure usually involves blood. Most involve pain or discomfort… I have yet to see an abortion procedure I’d describe as brutal or violent.” Corinna, you’re missing the point! You’re comparing necessary, ethical, lifesaving surgeries to the unethical, life-ending surgery of abortion. The blood involved in a lifesaving surgical procedure is your own blood, and you’re still alive when the surgery is over. The blood you saw when you worked in a mill was the blood of a separate person, and this person was dead after the surgery! The pain in an ethical surgery is only temporary and fades with time. Pain after an abortion is physical, psychological and spiritual, and it never goes away. Saying you’ve never seen a brutal or violent abortion is like slave owners who said African Americans were happy being slaves. From the oppressor’s perspective, everything is copacetic. But if you look at it through the eyes of the victims, in this case the preborn children, it is nothing but brutal and violent. Like those who fought to outlaw slavery, we must be abortion abolitionists and keeping fighting until abortion is no more and personhood is legally recognized for all. http://www.rockforlife.org/blog.php?id=2649 2009-06-24 09:29:00 On this week's episode of the Rock for Life Netcast we feature music by The Wrecking   For more information on The Wrecking go to www.thewrecking.net, www.myspace.com/thewrecking & www.twitter.com/thewrecking.  To find out about more pro-life artists click here.  You can also listen to pro-life artists by going to RockForLife.org clicking on the "radio" icon.   Make sure to check out The Wrecking at We also discuss what we've been up to: Erik just returned from 2 weeks out on the road Kortney busy starting new Rock for Life chapters News & Commentary New Pro-life social networking site TeensForLife.com UNDERCOVER STUDENT VIDEO LEADS TO LAWMAKERS STRIPPING PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT FOR PLANNED PARENTHOOD AFFILIATES IN TENNESSEE  Late-term abortionist Carhart wants to continue Tiller's "mission" Obama Scraps President's Bioethics Council After Forcing Embryonic Tax-Funding MAAFA 21, a new DVD documentary about eugenics, abortion, and the African American community  (Make sure to tune in so you can hear Erik and Kortney comment on these news stories.) Feature: Erik interviews Darren Elder of The Wrecking We also play two pro-life stories Erik collected from the road. To subscribe to the Rock for Life Podcast click on this iTunes icon   You can also find the Rock for Life Netcast on Myspace or on Podomatic. You can also listen to the Rock for Life Netcast on National Pro-Life Radio every Wednesday at 1 p.m. To ask us questions or to give us comments, ideas or suggestions write us at Podcast@RockForLife.org or call us at 866-552-3368. http://www.rockforlife.org/blog.php?id=2647 2009-06-23 13:40:00 I had to kiss my child goodbye Posted By Theo Purington on Jun, 23 2009      In October of 2006 I found out I was going to be a Father. My girlfriend of 6 months was pregnant with our child. Neither of us planned this pregnancy, or had even talked about ... Read http://www.rockforlife.org/blog.php?id=2644 2009-06-19 20:44:00 Choices - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YefBUaLbPA Video #2 - 99 Balloons - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=th6Njr-qkq0 Watching this video, Choices, filled me with righteous indignation and prompted me to write this blog.  Not only because the video implies that abortion is a viable option for Christians, particularly if the baby has a “birth defect,” but also because it makes it seem as if telling a friend that you will “walk with her” as she kills her child is a loving thing to do. The loving thing to do is speak the truth, and the woman portrayed in this video should have followed Proverbs 31:8: "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves." She makes the statement "This issue [of abortion] was more black and white for me before, because there wasn't a story, or a person or a face connected to it..." Then, apparently, she never REALLY believed in the personhood of the preborn. If she had truly been opposed to abortion, the "face" of that precious "person" in the womb would have made abortion more than an “issue” and would have compelled her to love that child. Her love for ALL persons involved should have overcome her fear of losing her friends by voicing her disapproval. When considering how to handle the situation, she asked herself, “What’s the most important thing to me in this relationship?” In other words, what’s more important - a baby’s life or a friendship? Her answer was “to have the relationship”. But in Proverbs 27:6, the Bible tells us, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.” In other words, it is worth causing temporary tension in her friendship because, for heaven’s sake, a person’s life is on the line! In the video, she said she used to think, “You’re supposed to choose life, no matter the cost.” But suddenly, when faced with an actual abortion situation, she reevaluated her stance. Why are people so quick to choose convenience and comfort over truth and boldness? Instead of consulting the Word of God about her struggle, she only did what “felt” right.  She forgot about Proverbs 14:12 (“There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death”) and Acts 5:29 ("We must obey God rather than men!”). Had she convinced her friends to allow their child to live, the blessings for all involved would have been tremendous. One only has to watch this video to be reminded of the joy of caring for a child with a disability. In this moving video clip, titled 99 Balloons”, one can see what happened when a couple chose to obey God and love their miracle baby. They were told he may not even survive to birth, but they left God in control and prayed that they might have the privilege of knowing him, even if only for a short time.  Every one of his 99 days alive outside of the womb were celebrated and cherished. This couple sacrificed for their child and considered him a precious gift from God. Despite the intense attention it took to care for baby Eliot, his dad called his feeding shift “the best part of my day”. While the woman in the first video said she still struggled with the decision to support her friends’ “choice” to abort, admitting that she still goes back and forth wondering if it was right, there was no guilt or regret in the second couple’s decision to love Eliot until his natural death.  The first video didn’t say what the “severe birth defect” was that compelled the couple to end their child’s life, but you can’t get much more severe than Trisomy 18/Edward’s Syndrome, which is what Eliot had. And yet, look at what an impact his short, beautiful life had. “An underdeveloped lung, a heart with a hole in it and DNA that placed faulty information into each and every cell of your body could not stop God from revealing himself through a child who never uttered a word. Not a pulpit, not a slick presentation, not a best-selling book, but a 6 pound boy with Trisomy 18 God found great pleasure to take a lowly thing in the eyes of the world and show truth.” http://www.rockforlife.org/blog.php?id=2643 2009-06-19 19:39:00 When talking about post-abortion experiences one hears a lot about women hurting from abortion. At pro-life events, women make up the majority of those holding, “I Regret My Abortion” signs. Occasionally, a middle-aged man shares his testimony about how abortion affected him and holds an “I Regret Lost Fatherhood” sign. Rarely, however, do you hear from young men. Statistically, 56 percent of women having abortions are in their 20s and 17 percent are teenagers, so it follows that around the same percentage (seventy three percent) of men involved in abortion are under 30 years old. Why don’t we hear their stories? This year, at Ichthus Festival, I experienced first-hand this mostly unrecognized pain when a young man approached me and told me his story. His now ex-girlfriend informed him that she was pregnant and getting an abortion. He pleaded with her to not kill their child. He told her he would take care of the child. He called lawyers, judges, politicians, anyone who would listen and might be able to help. All of them told him the same thing: you are a man and thus have no say. She went through with the abortion, and he was devastated! He told me, through tears, how he still has nightmares about his child being aborted. The next day, another young man told me a similar story. His girlfriend also waited, until she had already made up her mind to abort, to tell him she was pregnant. He, too, had no say. He also cried as he told me about his nightmares and the year of depression he endured after the abortion. Young men tend to be less prone to show their emotions, especially to a complete stranger. Nonetheless, these two men couldn’t hold back their sorrow over their lost fatherhood. This Father's Day, when you're wondering why so many men in our society have become disinterested in caring for their children…consider this: Maybe it’s because they have absolutely no voice and no input in a life-or-death situation - when those same kids are in the womb. Don’t let the abortion advocates fool you! Abortion is not just "a women’s issue." Abortion wounds men too - young and old. For more information on post-abortion healing for men, check out American Life League's Celebrate Life article "Men and abortion: Reclaiming lost fatherhood" (January - February 2009). Click here to tell us what you think   http://www.rockforlife.org/blog.php?id=2642 2009-06-19 11:56:00 Netcast: Ichthus Recap   On this week's episode of the Rock for Life Netcast we feature music by Ryan Taylor Make sure to check out his music at www.myspace.com/realryantaylor .  To find out about more pro-life artists go to RockForLife.org and click on the "Music" tab.  You can also listen to pro-life artists by clicking on the "radio" icon.   We also discuss news and commentary.  Especially interesting this week are these reports: Pro-Abortion Columnist Says Women Must be Told about Risks of Abortion Indian Government: Sex Education 'Promotes Promiscuity' Abortion Business in Philadelphia Gives Away Free Abortions Honoring George Tiller Adult stem cells helping autism and blindness Sotomayor Tells Senator She 'Never Thought About' Rights of Unborn on Abortion Smallest Baby To Survive At Magee Weighed Same As Pop Can Pregnant with girl or boy? At-home test may tell you   (Make sure to tune in so you can hear Kortney and Jeff comment on these news stories.) Erik and the summer tour team skyped into the show and talked about Ichthus Click here to see more pictures from Ichthus.   Listen to the interview To subscribe to the Rock for Life Podcast click on this iTunes icon   You can also find the Rock for Life Netcast on Myspace or on Podomatic. You can also listen to the Rock for Life Netcast on National Pro-Life Radio every Wednesday at 1 p.m. To ask us questions or to give us comments, ideas or suggestions write us at Podcast@RockForLife.org or call us at 866-552-3368. http://www.rockforlife.org/blog.php?id=2639 2009-06-12 10:40:00 RFL Report 06.12.09 In this issue... Netcast: Meet RFL Summer Tour Team! Tour Updates: Stormy Weather, Gas Money Needed!!! New Chapters! Upcoming Events Netcast: Meet RFL Summer Tour Team   On this week's episode of the Rock for Life Netcast we feature music by Destination 7  Make sure to check their music out at myspace.com/destination7project. To find out about more pro-life artists go to RockForLife.org and click on the "Music" tab.  You can also listen to pro-life artists by clicking on the "radio" icon.   We also discuss news and commentary.  Especially interesting this week is: Rachel Maddow talks about ALL on MSNBC NY Considers Paying Women to Donate Eggs for Research New RFL Merchandise at Festival Booths Make sure to listen to hear Kortney comment on these news stories. RFL Chats with Three Members of the Summer Tour Team Listen to the interview to hear Erik, Jeff and Kortney ask them why they're pro-life and how the got involved with Rock for Life. Meet the Phase 1 Summer Tour Team! Lisa Twigg, 20, Spotsylvania, VA - Germanna Community College "I'm adopted, double-jointed and nicknamed Twiggy." Sean Logue, 20, Bethlehem, PA - South African Global School of Theology "I was once diagnosed with caffeine poisoning." Erica Scialdone, 23, Rushville, NY - Visible School - Music and Worship Arts College "I used to race sled dogs, and I play the marimba." Lydia Bullock, 19, Milford, OH - Corcoran College of Art & Design "I have 3 siblings, was prom queen and once swallowed 9 cherry pits." You can also find the Rock for Life Netcast on Myspace or on Podomatic. You can also listen to the Rock for Life Netcast on National Pro-Life Radio every Wednesday at 1 p.m. To ask us questions or to give us comments, ideas or suggestions write us at Podcast@RockForLife.org or call us at 866-552-3368. To subscribe to the Rock for Life Podcast click on this iTunes icon Tour Updates: Stormy Weather, Gas Money Needed! @font-face { font-family: Cambria Math; } @font-face { font-family: Calibri; } @page Section1 {size: 8.5in 11.0in; margin: 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin: .5in; mso-footer-margin: .5in; mso-paper-source: 0; } P.MsoNormal { FONT-SIZE: 12pt; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-style-unhide: no; mso-style-qformat: yes; mso-style-parent: ""; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin } LI.MsoNormal { FONT-SIZE: 12pt; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-style-unhide: no; mso-style-qformat: yes; mso-style-parent: ""; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin } DIV.MsoNormal { FONT-SIZE: 12pt; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-style-unhide: no; mso-style-qformat: yes; mso-style-parent: ""; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin } .MsoChpDefault { FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-style-type: export-only; mso-default-props: yes; mso-ansi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt } DIV.Section1 { page: Section1 } Erik's update from the road: Sean, Lisa & I first prayed at a Planned Parenthood. We got a few thumbs up and had one good conversation. A young lady came up to us to inform us that this PP doesn't perform abortions and that there are a lot other places around town. This began an excellent opportunity to share about medical and chemical abortions and the fact that PP is the biggest abortion chain. The conversation moved to the scientific fact of when life begins and educating her on the abortifacient nature of chemical contraception. I can't say we converted her on the spot but we definitely planted some seeds. Next we picked Erica up at the airport. About the time she was supposed to land a huge storm hit Lexington.  Come to find out after a couple attempts to land the plane, the pilot decided to land in Knoxville.  We went out to lunch until she finally arrived, which was   about 2 hours later. Booth set-up was scheduled for 4-9pm, but the storm that hit Lexington also hit the festival, making one of the vendor booths unsafe. They closed vending set up for the evening. In the meantime we met up with Lydia and just hung out together. The festival is working on getting the Exhibit tent inspected before opening it up to the public. Also the main stage looks like it was damaged from yesterdays storm as well. We are waiting for everything to be ready so we can open up the booth. From today until Saturday the booth is open from 10am - 11pm. Currently RFL only has enough gas money to get from Ichthus in Kentucky to Alive Festival in Ohio. After that, the money runs out. Please donate to help keep the life-saving summer tour on the road! Donate by going to the Rock for Life Cause Facebook Page and clicking "Donate". New Chapters! Sacramento, CA - Rolland Beireis, Director Cambridge, Ontario, Canada - Pip Lucas, Director If you're interested in starting a chapter/club please e-mail Kortney at chapters@rockforlife.org. Upcoming Events June 10 - 13 Ichthus Festival in Wilmar, Kentucky June 17 - 20 ALIVE Festival in Canal Fulton, Ohio Anyone in the Akron, Ohio area who would like to pray at some abortion facilities and hang out with Erik and the RFL Summer tour team reply to this e-mail. Unsubscribe me from this contact list  ***Mention of a person or group or a person’s or group’s publication does not constitute an endorsement of all the work, publications and/or information of such person or group.*** Voices for the voiceless, Erik, Jeff & Kortney Rock for Life PO Box 1350 Stafford, VA 2255 Rock for Life on MySpace, Facebook YouTube, Twitter, Broadtexter and Podomatic AOL IM = RockForLifeUSA Yahoo! IM = RockForLifeUSA Pregnant? Don’t know what to do? Call 888-550-7577 Had an abortion? Need help or healing? Call 877-HOPE-4-ME http://www.rockforlife.org/blog.php?id=2633 2009-06-05 11:06:00 On this week's episode of the Rock for Life Netcast we feature music by The Red Baron Make sure to check their music out at bloodandinkrecords.com or myspace.com/theredbaron.  To find out about more pro-life artists go to RockForLife.org and click on the "Music" tab.  You can also listen to pro-life artists by clicking on the "radio" icon.   We also discuss news and commentary.  Especially interesting this week is: RFL response to Tiller’s murder States cutting funding to PP Supreme Court justice nominee Sotomayor confirmation Make sure to listen to hear Kortney, Jeff & Erik comment on these news stories. RFL welcomes Kortney to the team!    Listen to the interview to hear her answer these questions: How did you find out about Rock for Life? What is your history with Rock For Life? Since then you have been pretty busy in the pro-life movement.  What else have you been up to since then? Why did you leave the West Coast to join Rock For Life? You joined us to direct the Rock For Life Chapters & Street Team programs.  How is that going?  What are you plans, goals? Why are you pro-life? And visit her info page to find links to her on myspace, facebook, twitter and youtube. To subscribe to the Rock for Life Podcast click on this iTunes icon   You can also find the Rock for Life Netcast on Myspace or on Podomatic. You can also listen to the Rock for Life Netcast on National Pro-Life Radio every Wednesday at 1 p.m. To ask us questions or to give us comments, ideas or suggestions write us at Podcast@RockForLife.org or call us at 866-552-3368. http://www.rockforlife.org/blog.php?id=2632 2009-06-05 10:51:00 A Commentary By Kortney Blythe Patricia Ireland, former head of National Organization of Women (N.O.W.), went on “The O’Reilly Factor” Tuesday night to discuss abortion in light of Tiller’s murder. O’Reilly started by asking her point blank if she’d come to a conclusion about when life begins. Her answer may surprise you. “I think upon conception there is life.” Not surprisingly, she promptly followed this up with, “but that’s the wrong question.” Is it? Actually, it’s precisely the right question. And if by conception you mean when a human sperm penetrates a human oocyte and a distinct and complete individual person is created, then why are you still in favor of abortion on demand? Her response is part of an alarming new trend whereby abortion advocates admit to the undeniable fact human being's life begins at the beginning of their biological development, yet remain unflinching in their abortion support. In doing this they are exposing an even more disturbing side of their worldview - that it makes no difference if we know when a human being's life begins, abortion is an absolute, unwavering right. The pro-life fight used to be predominately a fight against the erroneous ideology that we don’t know or aren’t sure when human life begins. In fact, one Supreme Court justice wrote in the Roe v. Wade decision that, “If th[e] suggestion of personhood is established, [Roe v. Wade], of course, collapses, for the fetus' right to life would then be guaranteed specifically by the [Fourteenth] Amendment.” However, now that even abortion advocates are admitting that a human being's life begins before birth, this big “if” of the Roe decision should result in its “collapse” and reversal. In other words, now that we all agree human life begins before birth, Roe v. Wade should be overturned. Right, Patricia? Later in the interview, O’Reilly challenged her “upon conception there is life” statement by asking how she justifies aborting a human person. At this, Ireland changed her wording and referred to a pre-born person as “potential life”. Well, which one is it? Life or potential life? “Fetuses don’t grow inside Petri dishes,” she brilliantly added. Her point being: the value of a human being in the womb is diminished simply because they grow inside of women. Ireland then went on to make two false statements: 1. That women only get late-term abortions when their life is at risk, like if the "fetus" is dead and needs to be removed. (Excuse me, but last time I checked it’s not an abortion if the child is already dead.), and 2. Abortion is limited in the 2nd and 3rd trimester to only permit an abortion if there’s an extreme threat to the health or life of the mother. Thankfully, O’Reilly knows his facts and pointed out that “health” is so broadly defined that it can include a migraine headache or stress at being pregnant. Then, when O’Reilly gave proof that Tiller performed late-term abortions on babies for any reason, including so a girl could go to a concert, Ireland huffed and puffed and said it was demeaning to women to say such a thing. Although Ireland did a good enough job on her own making the pro-abortion position look bad, we must continue to dismantle the abortion advocates faulty logic and contradictory assertions until all human persons are given equal protection under the law. http://www.rockforlife.org/blog.php?id=2630 2009-06-04 16:50:00 Hey Guys!  I wrote this letter as a Kansan in response to the attacks linking the pro-life movement to George Tiller's murder.  It was submitted to the Wichita Eagle, and we thought we'd post it here for you to read.  Don't be discouraged, and don't forget we are the ones walking the moral high ground. As a person of faith and as an active member in the social movement dedicated to protecting all human life, I would first like to express my sympathies to the Tiller family. While we believe abortion is a human rights violation of the greatest degree and a sin against God, we also know that no one is responsible for taking justice into their own hands. So many people were praying for the conversion of George Tiller and those of us within the movement understand that he was robbed of the opportunity of repentance and forgiveness that only Christ can offer. Secondly, I would like to say that I am disappointed with the attitudes expressed by those in the media and those who take a different position than I, that somehow giving a voice to the voiceless and expressing a dissenting opinion fostered the environment for the murder of George Tiller. I own a green t-shirt. Across the front of this shirt in large letters is the word "Life" followed by the punctuation mark known as the period. "Life Period" is the message, and I wear that shirt proudly. Whether it's the innocent victims of war, those dying of hunger and starvation, the child discriminated against because of his or her age, or the victim of gun violence, we grieve for these people. Often, we've dedicated ourselves to only one of these causes. In my case, it's the cause of protecting the lives of preborn persons. I am but one person and this is simply my focus. Questions have been posed and I reiterate those questions to you. Is a person who speaks out against global warming responsible when the Earth Liberation Front burns down a Hummer dealership or a ski lodge? Were those who expressed a desire for a socialist utopia responsible for Kennedy's assassination because Oswald was a lunatic, fringe, declared Communist? Were all anti-war activists of the 1960's responsible for the actions of the Weather Underground? I suppose only you can answer that in your heart. I, for one, am not taking responsibility for this action simply because I advocate for the position that equality is based on our common human nature, not our arbitrary differences such as race, gender, religion, nationality, IQ, cognitive abilities, or age. I am not responsible for a heinous crime simply because I counsel women against abortion on a sidewalk outside of a clinic or hand out literature showing the truth of abortion from my booth at a music festival. Lastly, I implore the Tiller family to ignore the pleadings of Mr. Carhart to reopen the clinic for business. I think we can all agree that our city has seen enough bloodshed and we've all grown weary of it. Keith Ashley Chapter Director, Rock for Life Kansas http://www.rockforlife.org/blog.php?id=2627 2009-06-02 14:44:00 http://www.rockforlife.org/blog.php?id=2625 2009-06-01 12:20:00 The news of abortionist George Tiller being shot to death at his church was both shocking and saddening to me. Dr. George Tiller was a human person who has an inherent right to life, just like everyone else. Ending abortion and all other attacks against the Culture of Life by restoring personhood to all human beings through peaceful, legal and Christ-like means is the only pro-life actions we will participate in and condone.  We will be praying for his family and encourage everyone to as well.  We also hope and pray that the killer is apprehended quickly and this person be brought to justice to the fullest extent of the law. Unfortunately the pro-abortion movement has already started attacking the pro-life community by attaching this henious crime on us.  To do so is either based on ignorance or misunderstanding of pro-life principles or is a purposeful attempt to discredit the pro-life community by not letting such a disaster go to waste. Don't be fooled by the pro-abortion camp's hyperbole and their straw man arguments.  We don't know who this person is or what his motives are. What we do know is that the Culture of Death promulgates death as a solution to life's difficult problems. In summary murdering another human being is wrong - before birth or after.  We will continue to fight for human rights for all human persons.